Reclosable plastic bubble package



United States Patent y2,945,586 lPLAS'IIC B'IBB'ILE PACKAGE HaroldMackes, Nazareth, Pa., assgnor .to Binney `& Smith Inc., New York, NY.,a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 759,524 comme(cuts-478) This 4invention relates .generally to packaging and moreparticularly to reclosable plastic bubble 'or -blister packages.

Packages of -Ia composite type combining a base 'and an expandedtransparent 4plastic bubble are widely used. they not only 'enableexamination of -the contents by the purchaser, but they enhance theattractiveness lof the package by the vdisplay of the merchandisecontained therein. Such packages are, however, open to the objectionthat removing the contents frequently results Ain the destruction of'the package so that it is ynot capable of reuse.

It is therefore among the objects ofthe present invention to provideanimproved structure of the class -described wherein not .only are thecontents of the container fully visible at the time of purchase, butthey remain visible during ensuing reuse of the container.

A feature of the invent-ion resides in the fact that the present packageis especially useful in connection with contents such as marking ordrawing 'crayons so that the various colors of the crayons are visiblethrough the transparent portion of the package and 'are removable andreplaceable by a simple manipulation v'of Ia part `'of the Package. l

Another object herein lies in the provisin 'of a reuseable visible typecontainerremploying a minimum of parts so that the same may bemanufactured in large scale at low cost, having a consequent lwide sale,distribution and use. 4

Another object herein is to provide a reusable blister or bubble typepackage which is easily and quickly 'packed in its original statewit-hout yany substantial departure from the normal steps for fillingsuch packages.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a reclosable plasticbubble package having a closure element and lato-hing means therewith tosubstantially prevent accidental opening of the package.

These objects and other incidental ends land advantages will more fullyappear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is -a view in perspective showing a first embodiment of theinvention.

Figure 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the embodiment shown onFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view as seen from the plane 3-3 onFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view as seen from theplane 4--4 on Figure 1.

Figure 5 is yan enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing a secondembodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view as might be seen from the plane6--6 on Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken from the plane7-7 on Figure 5.

In accordance with the invention, and particularly the Patented July 19,1960 `ice 2l and 22, a top edge 23 land Ia bottom edge 24. TheV frameelement 14 may have -side edges 25 and 26, a top edge 27 and a bottomedge 28. -Eleme'nt 14 may be composed of materialsi-milar to that in thebase kelement and, .as Ashown in the drawings, be integral with the basee-lement 142 being joined thereto by the fold 30.

The closure element 16 preferably has Ia tongue portion 32 anda wallportion 33. The closure element 16 is .preferably lintegral with theframe `element 14 and joined thereto along the closure fold 34.

The body element 18 affords great utiiity when the same is formed fromsuitable plastic material, as for example, synthetic resin, and mayinclude a front wall 38 which `is disposedl out olf the plane of theflange portion 39, forming the juncture 42. The juncture 42 preferablyextends around approximately 270 and is of such size and shape that it'may substantially abut against the inner edge 44 of the frame element14. The lower ,portion of the front wall 38 is provided with a raisedlip 46 whose general shape is complementary to the free edge 45 of thetongue portion 32. The inner surface of the lip 46 is spaced from theplane ofthe inner surface of the front wall 38 adjacent thereto `andspaced from the contents 50 so as to provide a pocket between the innersurface of the raised lip `46 and the contents 50 for vthedisengagea-ble reception of the tongue portion 32 of the closure element16. By the predetermination of this distance or .spacing between theouter surface of the contents 50 and the inner surface of the lip 46, in

correlation to the effective thickness of the tongue portion 32, Aapredetermined lamount of friction may be oblt'ainedfthereat which issufcient Vto hold the closure element in its closed position as desired,and yet which will permit the user to withdraw the tongue portion 32thereby opening the same to permit removal of one or more of thecontents 50 (see dot-'dash lines on Figure 3). In opening the closureelement 1'6, the same may unfold about the bend 48, the Wall portion 33lalso shifting about the fold 34 from its closed position, where itobstructs downward movement of the contents 50 as viewed in Figure 3, toafford acces-s to the interior of the body element 18.

Original assembly is a quick Iand simple manner. 'Ilhe body element 18is placed within the edge 44 so to project through the frame element 14.The tongue member 32 is placed with its outer surface engaging the innersurface of the raised lip 46. Then with the body element 18 preferablyin a flat, downward position, the contents 50 are placed therewithin.Following this the base element 12 and the frame element 14 yarejuxtaposed and suitable retaining means 49, such as staples are put inplace to hold the parts together. Thus, the package 10 may be loadedinitially either through the opening formed when the closure element 16is opened, or in the manner described. While the contents, by way ofexample, have been shown to be a plurality of crayons and the bodyelement has been shaped to conform therewith, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the -art -to which the present invention relates thatother contents may 'be used and the lbody element complemental-ilyshaped provided that la sufiicient portion of the contents extends intothe area of the opening outwardly of the lip so that support is renderedto the tongue portion when in the closed position thereof.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the inveno tion illustrated inFigures to 7, inclusive, for the purpose of avoiding needless repetitioncertain of the parts corresponding to the rst embodiment are given thesame reference characters with the addition of the prefix 2. Y

The `second embodiment dilers from the rst embodiment essentially in theprovision of latching means 260 which serves to provide substantiallygreater resistance to opening than does the rst embodiment. As best seenin Figure 6, the tongue portion 232 of the closure element 216 at theedges 261 is provided with cut-out portions 262 and these coact withinwardly directed projections 263, on the body element 218.

The projections 263 may be small dome-like protuberances, the convexsurfaces of which extend inwardly to become disposed within theindentations 262, land are preferably formed by a distortion orextrusion of the wall of body element 218.

When the tongue portion 232 is moved in the direction of thedoublepointed arrow A on Figure 6 the resiliency of the raised lip 246is utilized and/or the resiliency of the tongue portion 232 is utilizedto permit deection of the parts to `an unlatched position thereof.

It may thus be seen that I have provided -a novel and useful reclosableplastic bubble package construction in which a minimum of parts larerequired to produce a structure having the advantages of known blisterpackaging and yet which allows convenient reuse.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of structure shown and described in this specification,for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the yart towhich the present invention relates.

I claim:

1. Reclosable plastic bubble package construction comprising: a frameelement having an opening, a body element receivable in said opening,said body element having front and side walls and terminating at one endin an opening forming an entrance to said body element; a base elementassociated with said frame element; a movable closure element on saidframe element adjacent said opening and having 4at least two positions,one in which said closure element is engaged with the inner surface ofsaid front wall to close said entrance and another position in which theclosure element is spaced from said front wall to afford a passagethrough said entrance to the area between the body element and said baseelement.

2. Reclosable plastic bubble package construction comprising: a frameelement having an opening, a body element receivable in said opening,said body element having a free edge with a raised lip spaced from saidframe element forming an entrance to said body element; a base elementyassociated with said frame element; a movable closure element onsaid'frame element having at least two positions, one in which saidclosure element engages the inner surface of said raised lip, andlanother position in which the closure element is spaced `from said lipto afford a passage through vsaid entrance to the area between the bodyelement and said base element.

3. Reclosable plastic bubble package construction comprising: a 'frameelement having an opening, a body ele ment receivable in said opening,said body element having front and side Walls and terminating at one endin an opening forming an entrance to said body element; a base elementassociated with said frame element; a movable'closure elementen Vsaidrframe element adjacent said opening and having at least two positions,one in which said closure element is engaged with the inner surface ofsaid front wall to close said entrance and another position in which theclosure element is spaced from said front wall to afford a passagethrough said entrance to the area between the body element and said baseelement, land latch means associated with said closure element and saidfront wall.

4. Reclosable plastic bubble package construction comprising: a frameelement having an opening, -a body element receivable in said opening,said body opening having a'free edge with a raised lip spaced from saidframe element forming an entrance to said body element; a base elementassociated with said frame element; a mov-` able closure element on saidframe element having at least two positions, one in which said closureelement engages the inner surface of said raised lip, and anotherposition in which said closure element is spaced from said edge toafford ya passage through said entrance to the area between the bodyelement and said base element, and latch means associated with saidclosure element and said raised lip.

vReferences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,833,405 Del Nero s May 6,

